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30 Smart Place Value Activities and Games for Elementary Math Students

Place value pool noodles? Genius!

Place value is one of those basic concepts that help kids build a wide variety of math skills. There are lots of fun place value activities and games you can use to help them understand, whether you’re working with basic tens and ones or have advanced to decimals with tenths and hundredths. Here’s a terrific collection of ideas to add to your upcoming lesson plans!

1. Start with an anchor chart

Help students understand and remember four ways to represent numbers and place value with an anchor chart. Turning the chart into a robot ups the fun factor!

2. Read a book about place value

We’re not talking about the paragraph in their math workbook that explains the concept. We mean one of these engaging and entertaining place value books that capture kids’ imagination while helping them understand how place value works and why it matters. There are plenty of options out there—here are a few of our favorites.

• Zero the Hero , by Joan Holub and Tom Lichtenheld
• Sir Cumference and All the King’s Tens , by Cindy Neuschwander
• Place Value , by David A. Adler

3. Turn paint samples into place value sliders

Use the cutouts in paint sample chips as little “windows” for numbers. This is a fun and colorful way to introduce place value to your students.

4. Show it four ways

Ask students to demonstrate their understanding of place value by showing one number in a variety of ways. Get a free printable worksheet for this activity at the link.

5. Transform a pillbox into a place value manipulative

Stop by the dollar store for some weekly pillbox containers, then use our free printable labels to turn them into dice shakers you can use for all kinds of place value activities.

6. Stack place value Cheerio towers

Looking for more inexpensive math class ideas? Grab a box of uncooked spaghetti and some Cheerios to use for your place value activities.

7. Visualize place value with a foldable

Use sentence strips and dry-erase tape to create a reusable math manipulative that reinforces place value concepts and expanded form.

8. Slide cards into binder pages

Use divided binder pages along with number and base-10 cards to show place value. Call out each digit and its place (“There’s a 3 in the thousands place”) and see if your students can make the correct number.

9. Construct a tower of base-10 blocks

Base-10 blocks are a popular math manipulative , and they’re perfect for teaching place value. This activity challenges kids to use the blocks to find three different ways to build a structure representing 1,000. New to base-10 blocks? Here’s a good starter set from Amazon to try.

10. Figure out the place value of your name

Here’s another clever use for base-10 blocks. First, have each student use them to spell out their name. Then, count up the numbers of tens and ones blocks to determine your name’s place value!

11. Stack paper cups

While you’re at the dollar store, pick up some stackable paper cups. Number them 1 to 9 along the edge, and then use them to talk about place value as you stack them to create different numbers.

12. Build place value bugs

How cute is this little number bug? Use large pom-poms for tens and smaller ones for ones, then set them on a wood craft stick to create a number.

13. Shoot for the target with LEGO bricks

LEGO bricks really are ideal for place value activities. Toss the bricks onto a homemade target with rings to represents ones, tens, and so on. Count the studs of each brick that lands on a place value ring, then add them up to get your final number. See more LEGO math ideas here.

14. Build understanding with LEGO bricks

You know your students love to build with LEGO, so use them to reinforce place value concepts too. Hands-on place value activities are always the most fun!

15. Act out multiplying and dividing

Active math games are one of the best ways we know to get kids involved in their learning. Find out how to act out multiplying or dividing by powers of 10 at Teacher Thrive .

16. Play a game of Place Value War

Play this game with Uno cards or a classic deck with face cards removed. Each player has a number of piles (depending on which place values you’re working on) and lays down the top card from each. The players say the resulting numbers out loud (e.g. “five hundred thirty”), and the player with the highest number wins. For a fun variation, allow players to use the cards they flip to create the highest possible number.

17. Build a number

Kids select some number cards, then try to meet a series of challenges like making the largest number they can. Add in a decimal card to up the complexity of the game.

18. Keep track of school days in a pocket chart

Each day, count how many days students have been in school this year by adding counters like 10-frames to a pocket chart. The number climbs as the year goes on, building from ones to tens to hundreds.

19. Send them on a scavenger hunt

Grab a stack of old magazines and newspapers and let kids loose to find examples of the place value challenges set in this scavenger hunt. Go to Primary Theme Park to get the free printable.

20. Shake things up with Yahtzee

Roll out the dice and try to beat your opponent as you fulfill the conditions of this special game of Yahtzee. Print the free game boards and get the rules at the link below. Find more creative ways to use dice in your classroom here.

21. Enjoy a game of Whack It!

What kid doesn’t love to whack things with a fly swatter? Put that energy to good use by having them slap the swatter down on the correct values as you call them out.

22. Take a journey on the Place Value Path

This free printable game combines a traditional board game with bingo. Roll the dice to see which outer square you land on. Count up the number represented by the base-10 symbols, and mark it on your bingo board. When you get five in a row, you win!

23. Toss beanbags into place value bins

Combine hand-eye coordination practice with math skills in this place value game. Label bins for tens, hundreds, etc., and choose a number. Kids toss numbered bean bags into the correct bins to win!

24. Snack and learn with rainbow math

Use Froot Loops cereal pieces and pipe cleaners to learn tens and ones with this free printable activity. Don’t want to use cereal? Try beads instead.

25. Use nuts and bolts to learn place value

Looking for inexpensive ways to represent base 10? Try nuts and bolts! You can pick them up in bulk at the hardware store, and it’s easy to replace them if they get lost.

26. Make giant DIY ones and tens blocks

Cut squares of bright-colored card stock for ones, and tape together a series of them to create the tens. Then add smiley faces to the top just for fun, and have kids hold up the giant blocks to represent various numbers.

27. Cut a pool noodle into tens and ones

The nice thing about these DIY manipulatives is that they’re easy for little hands to handle. Cut pool noodles to represent tens and ones to give kids practice building numbers.

28. Solve a place value puzzle

Place value activities are still important for older kids. This advanced activity asks them to solve math word problems and write the solutions into the correct place on the grid. Get the free printable at Education.com .

29. Complete a place value maze

This advanced place value activity gives students practice adding hundreds, thousands, and higher. They find the next correct answer in the maze as they go along. Visit Math Geek Mama for these free printable mazes.

30. Walk along giant number lines

We love place value activities that also get kids up and moving! For this one, use masking tape to create number lines for ones, tens, hundreds, etc., on the floor. Choose a number and use paper plates to mark the correct places on the number lines, or have kids stand on the correct mark instead.

Looking for even more math fun? Try these fun and free fraction games!

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25 Activities to Teach Place Value

• Christopher Olson
• February 14, 2022
• No Comments

Place Value Activity 1.  Write the Room

2. Morning Meeting Routine

3. Lego Block Place Value

Place value activity 4.  file folder games, 5. paint swatch place value, 6. math centers.

Place Value Activity 7. Base Ten Monsters!  (Or Robots)

8. place value names, 9. identify different place value units.

Place Value Activity 10. Place Value War

11. place value read alouds.

• Zero the Hero by Joan Holub (aff)
• Sir Cumference and All the King’s Tens by Cindy Neuschwander (aff)
• Math Fables: Lessons That Count by Greg Tang (aff)
• Earth Day–Hooray! by Stuart J. Murphy (aff)
• Place Value by David A. Adler (aff)
• A Place for Zero by Angeline Sparagna LoPresti (aff)
• The King’s Commissioners by Aileen Friedman (aff)
• A Million Dots by Andrew Clements (aff)
• How Much is a Million by David Schwartz (aff)
• Penguin Place Value by Kathleen Stone (aff)

12. Place Value Math Printables

Place Value Activity 13. Rolling for Place Value

14.  place value yahtzee, 15. color by number.

Place Value Activity 16. Pool Noodles

17. center work mats.

18. Place Value Hopscotch

Place value activity 19. snowball place value toss, 20. i have, who has.

21. Place Value Nuts and Bolts

Place value activity 22. ping pong challenge, activity 23. place value and science.

24. YouTube Videos

Place value activity 25. rainbow place value.

Written By: Christopher Olson

Welcome! I’m Emily, Founder of Education to the Core. We are all about helping K-2 teachers by providing unlimited access to affordable printables for every subject area.   

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Place Value

This MrNussbaum place value section contains games, workshops, simulations, drills, printables and much more related to place value. It includes the ever popular Place Value Pirates game and an interactive Place Value Workshop.

MathCircles.org

Place value problems.

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5 Place Value Activities for Deep Understanding

Place Value Lesson #1

Place Value Lesson #2

 When asking students to solve problems like this, encourage them to show their thinking by adding other “benchmark” numbers rather than simply guessing.  Better yet, have them share their thinking so others can learn from different strategies.  This is a great time to identify and clear up place value misconceptions.  Also, this is SO much more powerful than simply filling in the blank on a number line in a workbook!

• Start with numbers lines that do not begin at zero…
• Ask students to identify points outside two numbers on a number line…
• Try having students write their own problems for others to solve…
• Ask students to write about their thinking, not just talk about it…

Place Value Lesson #3

• The number must be a five digit number.
• The first digit must be a 1
• The second digit must be an 8.
• The ones place must be a 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9–until they realize that the tens place number is double the ones place (ruling out the 5, 7, and 9)

Place Value Lesson #4

Place value lesson #5.

Want to check out a few more place value posts?

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How to Teach Place Value in 9 Easy Steps

1. Know When to Start

2. introduce skip counting, 3. understanding numbers vs. digits, 4. visualizing place value, 5. expanding place value understanding, 6. place value in different number systems, 7. operations using place value, 8. advanced place value concepts, 9. application and problem solving.

Have you ever faced the challenge of explaining why the number 10 is not just a “1” next to a “0”, or why in the number 150, the “5” stands for 50 and not just 5? Understanding how to teach place value is crucial for educators and parents alike, as it forms the foundation for all higher-level math skills, from addition and subtraction to multiplication , division , and beyond. This concept is key to comprehending the size of numbers, how to decompose them, and how they relate to each other.

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In this blog, we’re diving into strategies and insights on simplifying this complex concept. Our focus will be on strategies and tips for teaching children, particularly those in the early elementary grades, ranging from kindergarten through third grade.

What is Place Value?

Place value is a way of showing the value of digits in a number based on their position. In the decimal number system , which is what we use every day, the position of a digit tells us how much that digit is worth.

• Position in a Number: Each spot in a number has a different value. For example, in the number 345: The “5” is in the ones place, so it’s just worth 5. The “4” is in the tens place, so it’s worth 40 (4 tens). The “3” is in the hundreds place, so it’s worth 300 (3 hundred).
• Value of Digits: The value of a digit increases by ten times as we move each place to the left. So, a digit in the tens place is ten times more than the same digit in the ones place.
• Importance of Zero: Zero plays a special role in place value. It acts like a placeholder. For example, in the number 105, the zero shows no tens, helping us distinguish between one hundred-five and fifteen.

5 Importance of Place Value

For several reasons, understanding place value is essential, making it a key concept in mathematics education. Here’s why it’s so important:

• Builds Number Sense: Place value helps students grasp the size and value of numbers. It’s a strong number sense foundation, enabling learners to understand how numbers relate.
• Supports Math Operations: Whether adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing, place value is at the heart of these operations . It allows students to break down numbers and solve problems more easily.
• Facilitates Mental Math: With a solid grasp of place value, students can perform calculations in their heads more efficiently. This skill is crucial for quick problem-solving and estimation .
• Prepares for Higher Math: Understanding place value lays the groundwork for learning more complex mathematical concepts, including decimals , fractions , and algebra .
• Enhances Problem-Solving Skills: A deep understanding of place value enhances students’ ability to think critically and solve various mathematical problems.

How to Teach Place Value in Nine Easy Steps

Deciding the right time to introduce place value is crucial in learning place value. Typically, this is after students have mastered counting by ones and have a basic grasp of simple addition and subtraction. This milestone is often reached around first or second grade . At this stage, children are ready to understand that numbers are made up of different parts, each with its value . 

To make explaining place value simpler, begin with skip counting . This means teaching children to count by numbers other than one, like twos, fives, and tens. Skip counting helps kids move beyond counting one by one, preparing them to understand larger numbers more easily. 

Focusing on counting by tens is especially important because our number system is based on the number ten. This way, children see numbers in groups or sets, a key step in grasping place value. By practicing skip counting, students learn to view numbers in a more structured way, seeing the patterns and how numbers fit together, which is essential for learning place value.

Games can be a great way to introduce skip counting to kids. Start with these skip counting games :

A key step in how to teach place value involves clarifying the difference between numbers and digits . Digits are the building blocks of our number system, consisting of the ten symbols from 0 to 9. When we talk about digits, we’re referring to these individual symbols. However, when digits come together, they form numbers based on their arrangement. 

For instance, the digit “1” on its own represents the number one, and “7” represents the number seven. But when we combine them to “17,” they collectively represent 17. This distinction is crucial for the place value concept because it shows how the position of each digit affects the overall value of the number. Demonstrating this with various examples, like how “3” and “5” together make thirty-five, helps students grasp that numbers are composed of digits whose value changes based on their position.

• Place Value Charts: One effective method for teaching place value is to use place value charts. These charts help students see the position of each digit in a number and understand its value. For example, in the number 2,453, the chart helps illustrate that the “2” is in the thousands place, the “4” in the hundreds place, and so on.
• Base-10 Blocks: Another hands-on approach is using base-10 blocks or similar manipulatives. These blocks represent units, tens, hundreds, and thousands, allowing students to build and manipulate numbers physically. By using these blocks, students can visually and tangibly grasp how numbers are composed of different place values, enhancing their understanding of ones, tens, hundreds, etc.
• Hundreds and Beyond: As students become comfortable with the basics of place value, it’s important to introduce them to larger numbers. Using the same tools and techniques, such as place value charts and base-10 blocks, you can help students visualize and understand numbers in the hundreds, thousands, and beyond. 
• Comparing and Ordering Numbers: Teaching students to compare and order numbers based on place value is crucial in reinforcing the concept of magnitude. By understanding that the value of a digit changes depending on its position, students can learn to determine which of two numbers is larger or smaller. Activities that involve sorting numbers or placing them in ascending or descending order can be very effective in solidifying this understanding. 

Here are some fun compare-and-order number games to get started:

• Exploring Other Bases: A fascinating strategy to teach place value is by exploring number systems with bases other than 10, such as base-5 or base-8. This approach enriches students’ understanding of place value in our familiar decimal ( base-10 ) system and broadens their mathematical perspective. Discussing how numbers are represented in these different systems can deepen students’ comprehension of place value, showing them that the concept is universal, not just limited to the base-10 system.
• Applying to Real-Life Situations: To reinforce how to teach place value, use real-life examples that students encounter daily. Money is a great tool for this, where dollars and cents can represent whole numbers and parts of a hundred. Measurements, like meters and centimeters , also offer practical applications of place value, making the concept more relatable and easier to grasp.
• Adding and Subtracting with Regrouping: One of the core strategies to teach place value involves demonstrating how it’s used in addition and subtraction, especially with regrouping . Show students how breaking down numbers into their place values can simplify these operations. For example, when adding numbers that result in a sum exceeding ten, explain how and why we carry over to the next place value, reinforcing the concept of tens and ones.

Regrouping can be a challenging topic for kids to grasp, start playing these games to understand how place value works for subtraction and addition:

• Multiplication and Division Concepts: Introduce multiplication and division by highlighting the role of place value. Explain how multiplying a number by 10 shifts its digits one place to the left, making it ten times larger, and how division by 10 does the opposite. 

Play these math games to introduce multiplication and division by highlighting the role of place value:

• Rounding and Estimation: Teach students to round numbers to the nearest ten, hundred, and so on using their knowledge of place value. This skill is essential for estimating answers quickly and efficiently, helping them to make educated guesses in everyday situations.

Here are some fun rounding and estimation games that you can get started with:

• Decimal Numbers: Expand students’ understanding of place value to include decimals. Explain how decimals use place value to represent parts of a whole, with tenths, hundredths, and thousandths, making the concept of fractions more tangible and understandable.

Start with these decimal place value games that will help you in understanding of place value to include decimals:

• Word Problems: Use word problems to apply place value knowledge in various contexts. This approach helps students see the practical use of what they’ve learned, making math more relevant.
• Critical Thinking: Challenge students with puzzles and complex problems that require them to use their place value understanding. These activities encourage deeper thinking and problem-solving skills, reinforcing their mathematical knowledge.

5 Hands-On Ways to Teach Place to Kids

1. online place value games.

Enhance the learning experience with interactive place value online games . These digital activities are designed to make teaching and understanding place value enjoyable and accessible. Students can practice and reinforce their place value skills through these games while having fun.

2. Place Value Worksheets (Printable Worksheets)

Utilize printable worksheets designed for different skill levels. These worksheets include exercises for identifying place values, composing and decomposing numbers, and comparing numbers based on place value.

Use these printable place value worksheets in your class for free:

3. Base-10 Block Building

Base-10 block building is a hands-on way that uses physical manipulatives to help students understand the concept.

Materials Required: You’ll need base-10 blocks, which typically include units (ones), rods (tens), flats (hundreds), and cubes (thousands).

How to Do It:

• Start with a number, such as 427.
• Using the base-10 blocks, represent the number by stacking the appropriate units, rods, flats, and cubes. For 427, it would be 4 flats, 2 rods, and 7 units.
• Have students practice creating different numbers and explaining the value of each digit based on its position.

4. Place Value Bingo

Place Value Bingo is a fun game to reinforce place value understanding through play.

Materials Required: Bingo cards with numbers, place value markers (e.g., counters or small objects), and a caller to announce numbers.

• Create Bingo cards with numbers that have various place value representations, like 34, 205, or 1,468.
• Each player receives a Bingo card and some markers.
• The caller announces a number (e.g., “Three hundred twenty-one”).
• Players place a marker on the corresponding number on their Bingo card if they have it.
• The first player to get a row, column, or diagonal of markers shouts “Bingo!” and wins the game.

5. Place Value Charts

Place value charts are visual aids that represent the positions and values of digits within numbers.

Materials Required: Place value charts (can be printed or drawn), markers, and numbers to display.

• Use a place value chart to visually represent numbers. For example, write the number 638 on the chart.
• Label each position (ones, tens, hundreds) and place the digits accordingly.
• Explain the value of each digit based on its position. In this case, the “6” is in the hundreds place and represents 600.

Teaching place value is a fundamental step in building strong math skills. By using practical strategies and engaging activities, we can help children understand the world of numbers, making math more approachable and enjoyable for them. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you explain place value to a child.

To explain place value to a child, start by showing them that each digit in a number has a special spot that gives it a value. Use simple examples like counting blocks to help them see how numbers work.

How do you introduce a place value lesson?

When introducing a place value lesson, begin by discussing the idea that numbers are made up of different parts. Use props like colored beads or drawings to represent ones, tens, and hundreds, making it hands-on and interactive.

How to teach place value in first class?

To teach place value in first grade , start with small numbers and simple examples. Use visuals like place value charts and base-10 blocks to show how numbers are built. Keep the lessons short and engaging to hold young students’ attention.

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Place Value Games

Mastery of place value is a important foundational step in children's mathematical development. It provides the building blocks for understanding our number system and is essential for more advanced math concepts. Place value teaches kids that a digit's value depends on its position within a number, influencing operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Proficiency in place value improves numeracy skills and fosters critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. By practicing place value with Mindly's awesome math games for kids , children reinforce their understanding and have fun while learning!

10s Place Games

Taterz Quiz-O-Rama | Composing Teen Numbers Game

Practice composing teen numbers with Taterz and her collect eggs as a prize!

Taterz Quiz-O-Rama | Adding Tens and Ones Game

Join Taterz in a fun math adventure! With Taterz Quiz-O-Rama: Adding Tens and Ones, kids learn addition in an engaging and straightforward way.

Space Race | Three-Digit Addition - Adding 10 Game

Help your child master three-digit addition and number sense as they practice adding 10 more.

Dino Soar | Three-Digit Addition and Adding 10 Game

Practice adding 10 more to three-digit numbers to help your dinosaur fly through the air and win the race!

100s Place Games

Ice Cream Bonanza | Rounding to the Nearest 100 Game

Catch as many ice creams as you can while rounding numbers to the nearest 100! Boost your child's confidence and math skills with Mindly's exciting ice cream bonanza game.

Space Race | Rounding to the Nearest 100 Game

Practice rounding numbers to the nearest 100 in Space Race! Blast off with your rocket and round numbers to zoom past the competition!

Fast Food | Rounding to the Nearest 100 Game

Master rounding numbers to the nearest 100 with Fast Food! Help your foodie friends race to the finish by rounding to the nearest hundred!

Dino Soar | Adding 10 and 100 Game

Practice adding 10 or 100 to three-digit numbers to help your dinosaur win the flying race!

Rounding Numbers Games

Miss Math's Time Machine | Rounding to the Nearest 10 Game

Dive into a game all about rounding to the nearest 10! Practice this important number sense skill and help Miss Math on her time-traveling missions.

Comparing Numbers

Fast Food | Comparing Numbers Game

Race your food character to the finish line by correctly comparing numbers from 1 to 10!

Fast Food | Greater Than, Less Than 1 to 100 Game

Win the race to the stomach as you practice and master comparing numbers 1 to 100! Choose if each number is greater than, less than, or equal to the other! Play now!

Boofus Quiz | Comparing Three-Digit Numbers Game

Help Boofus ace his quiz as you practice and master comparing three-digit numbers! Choose if each number is greater than, less than, or equal to the other! Play now!

Dino Eggs | Comparing Numbers Game

Join baby dinosaurs in Dino Eggs as they compare numbers from 1 to 10 to help their friends hatch from eggs!

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Place Value Problems

Third grade place value problems.

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Number Sense and Place Value

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Amount   Age 5 to 11

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